The Season Ahead

I said last year that I was not going to pick racing goals until the spring. I didn't know how the winter would go and whether I would focus more on road races or on TTs.

Spring is here and so is the decision: Time trials.

I spent the whole winter focusing on raising my functional threshold power, which is more or less the power I can consistently generate for an hour. I've spent very little time on short anaerobic efforts that would make be better at criteriums. I've spent a LOT of time on sustained 8 to 20 minute intervals that should improve my time trials.

That focused effort has made a huge difference. My best 20 minute power last summer was 258 watts. My best 20 minute power from a couple weeks ago was 302 watts, a 17% increase.

Even better is that I lost 25 pounds. The last time I was 168 pounds in March was 2005. Most years, even when I trained well that winter, I was 170 to 171 this time of year.

Probably the best comparison of progress is in the force I can generate for my weight. Converting to kilograms (since that's usually how all the comparison charts are measured), last summer I could generate 2.93 w/kg. Now, I am generating 3.95 w/kg, a staggering 34% increase over last fall.

Not only should I be better as a time trialist, I should also be a much better climber too.

Keeping all that in mind, these are the races I'm planning on doing this year (barring rain or other issues):

• 04/13 Readington TT, 5.5 miles
• 04/20 Long Beach Island TT, 13.4 miles
• 05/04 C-130 Hercules TT, 21 miles
• 05/18 Seaside TT, 13.4 miles
• 06/01 Philly TT, 8.1 miles 
• 06/22 Church Creek TT #1, 24.8 miles
• 07/21 PA State TT Championship, 24.8 miles
• 07/27 PA Masters State TT, 12.8 miles
• 08/17 Church Creek TT #2, 24.8 miles 
• 09/02 Deep Blue TT, 11 miles 
• 09/08 Ernie Simpson TT, 12.4 miles 

 As I've said many times before, my major goal is a sub-hour 24.8 mile time trial. The Church Creek time trials are dead flat with no turnarounds, so it should be my fastest course. I'm aiming to reach my goal there. They hold the event twice, so I get a second chance if I don't make it the first time or in case one of them is rained out.

In years past, I have not ridden my time trial bike until April or May when I start riding it outside. This year, I'm spending 3 or 4 hours a week on it on the trainer. I'm able to adjust my position slightly and see how it affects my power output pretty quickly. I've finally replaced my old saddle that was held together with electrical tape, so I've been trying to get that adjusted properly at the same time.

Considering the power that I am putting out on the time trial bike,  I believe that I can actually do pretty well under an hour (maybe by as much as a minute), but only time will tell. It will take some work to make sure that the position that is comfortable on the trainer actually works outside and is actually aerodynamic enough to help me be faster.